


Can't Help Falling In Love With You

by PixelByPixel, skaoi



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: A little angst, Chloe Dan and Trixie Know, Dan does Luci a solid, Deckerstar - Freeform, F/M, Lucifer is an uncertain boyfriend, Recently established Deckerstar, Valentine's Day, Valentine’s One True Partner Fics, a lot of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-08
Updated: 2018-03-08
Packaged: 2019-03-28 11:11:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13902795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PixelByPixel/pseuds/PixelByPixel, https://archiveofourown.org/users/skaoi/pseuds/skaoi
Summary: “Right!” Ella exclaims.  “Valentine’s Day ideas.”  She taps her finger to her lip while she paces the length of her table.  Suddenly she snaps her fingers, “How about something that makes her remember how you met?  Like, maybe some music?”Lucifer scoffs, “Sadly, the Detective’s taste in that area is...questionable.  Her playlist is the greatest hits from the 1990s.”  He grimaces in distaste while shaking his head.  “Wretched.”Ella laughs. “She can’t be perfect, right?”“But she is,” he replies before thinking.





	Can't Help Falling In Love With You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Antarctic_Echoes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Antarctic_Echoes/gifts).



> We did a thing together and we really hope you like it! 
> 
> Yeah, it's a little late for Valentine's Day. Life....whatchagonnado?
> 
> Shout-out to PxP for being the most patient co-writer ever. :)

Chloe flicks her finger on the screen of her tablet and scowls.

“Whatcha lookin’ at, Mommy?” Trixie asks as she plops onto the couch.

The Detective’s expression softens as she looks at her daughter. “Well, Valentine’s Day is coming and I want to get a present for Lucifer.”  She points at the screen, “This website has a bunch of neat stuff, but I don’t know if he’d like any of it.”

The girl leans forward and points at the screen. “That sorta looks like his car.  He might like that one.”

Chloe laughs. “I could see him with a billiards table where the bottom looks like a Corvette.  But it’s twenty-five thousand dollars.”

Trixie blinks. “That’s a lot, right?”

Chloe laughs again and nods. “Oh yeah.  That’s a lot.”

The child shrugs, “You could just ask Lucifer for the money.”

The Detective shakes her head. “That’s not how buying a present for someone works, honey.”

Trixie peers closer. “What’s a Him....Him..a...lay...an Singing Bowl?”

“No!” Chloe replies abruptly.  “Um...no, that’s really not, um....his sort of.  Thing.”

Her daughter frowns. “This site is lame, Mommy.  He likes music. Why not buy him a CD?”

A soft smile lights Chloe’s face as she recalls sitting at the piano with him after Father Frank’s death.  He’d gently teased her about not being able to play. Chloe looks down at her daughter and squeezes her in for a hug. “ _That_ is a great idea, Trixie!  I think I know just the thing.  Go ahead and get started on your homework.  There’s that retired music teacher living in the next building.  I’ll go over and ask for piano lessons - be right back.”

Trixie nods excitedly. “I remember Geri.  That’s a great idea, Mommy!”

Chloe grabs her checkbook and locks the door behind her.

* * *

Lucifer glances at his Tag Hauer as he zips through traffic.   _The Detective should be home with her spawn by now_ , he thinks.  There’s time for a nice dinner before returning to tend to the party-goers at the club.  

He glances at the grocery bag in the passenger seat and smiles to himself.  Chloe insists that the provisions in her pantry are sufficient but The Lord of Hell begs to differ.  She and Beatrice never actually complain when he’s making magic in the kitchen but the Detective certainly has a few comments regarding the pile of dishes he leaves behind.  

He can’t resist the warmth in his chest as he recalls the last time he cooked and they cleaned up together.  The small kitchen allowed no room to work without them constantly bumping into each other, and, by the time they were finished, it was all he could do to not drag her upstairs.

As Lucifer speeds into the parking lot, he spies the Detective’s car parked in its usual spot.  He parks the Corvette next to her vehicle, bounces from his seat then grabs the grocery bag before taking the stairs to the apartment two at a time.  He remembers his partner specifically asked him to stop barging in, so he taps politely on the door.

Trixie’s voice comes from the other side. “Coming, Lucifer!”  He hears the door unlock and it swings open to reveal the nine year-old’s happy smile.

“Why was your door locked, child?” he asks as he steps into the apartment.  “Where’s your mother?”

If possible, Trixie’s smile grows even brighter. “She’s went to Jerry’s an hour ago and said she’d be right back.”

Dark brows knit together. “Oh?  And who is this ‘Jerry,’ then? Your mum gone to borrow a cup of sugar or such?”

Trixie bounces on her toes and her pigtails bounce with her. “Not telling!” she crows as she turns her back and runs into her room giggling.

Lucifer huffs and looks around, lost for a moment.  Realizing there’s nothing else to do until his partner returns, he carries the groceries to the kitchen and sets to work.

* * *

“Hey, man.”

Lucifer looks up as Dan approaches Chloe's desk at the precinct, un-tucking his hands from his pockets and straightening his jacket. “Is the Detective back yet?”

“Yeah.” Dan gestures vaguely behind himself. “She stopped to talk to Jerome from Vice.”

“Jerome,” Lucifer echoes. _Could this be the mysterious Jerry?_ Chloe _did_ behave oddly at dinner the previous night, and had put off their plans to get together that Saturday. “Is he a short fellow?” he asks, his voice hopeful. “Balding, bit of a paunch, perhaps?”

“No,” Dan replies, with a short laugh. “He’s as tall as you and could probably bench press both of us.”  The detective pauses after catching Lucifer's frown. ”Everything okay? “

Lucifer gives a quick nod. “Of course, of course. It’s just that the Detective was late last night.  She was rather vague as to her whereabouts and your offspring was looking particularly smug about whatever it was.”

Perching on the edge of his desk, Dan leans forward and lowers his voice, “If Chloe doesn't want to tell you something, you probably shouldn't push her, especially not this time of year.”

Lucifer considers the calendar and then asks, concerned, “Is Groundhog Day a particularly painful time for her?  Was it an incident at a petting zoo?”

Unable to keep back his laugh, Dan replies, “No, man, Valentine's Day.”  

As Lucifer stares at him in confusion, Dan taps the desk opposite his. “Look, I'm going to do you a solid, all right?  Penelope did this for me when Chloe and I got together.” He bobs his head sideways as he shrugs. “And with… you know.... you and Chloe.”  He pauses and rubs the back of his neck, “I still just want her to be happy and I know you don’t....um....have a lot of, you know, experience with...this stuff.  Right? I mean...”

Lucifer leans against the desk that Dan indicated, and chuckles softly. “You are correct, Daniel.  Not much in the way of hearts and flowers in Hell. I appreciate your very generous aid.”

Dan looks almost conspiratorial as he  continues, “So, Chloe's dad, he was the _King_ of Valentine's Day.  He always got Penelope the most amazing gifts. So I guess Chloe sort of… she doesn't expect it, but that's what she saw growing up.”

Lucifer brightens. Presents, that’s something he can do. “Something really expensive?” he suggests hopefully, but Dan is already shaking his head.

“No, the gifts were always really meaningful, but almost never expensive. Penelope loved them.  Said Valentine’s was her favorite time of year.” Dan continues, his expression rueful, “I never really got the hang of it.  But, then again, I didn't get the hang of a lot of things where Chloe was concerned.”

“Meaningful,” Lucifer echoes. “What would be meaningful to the Detective?”

Dan gets to his feet with a chuckle and gives Lucifer’s shoulder a pat. “I can't give you all the answers. Little tip, though? I'm pretty sure sure you can call her Chloe now.”

“Oh.  Well, yes.  Of course. Thank you, Daniel.” Lucifer stands as well, then frowns at his friend’s retreating back.  

 _Something meaningful, but not expensive._  Of course, he can’t just get her some tawdry little trinket. Of all the things he is, one thing Lucifer Morningstar is _not_ is cheap.

 _Well, surely our time together is meaningful, but how to translate that to a gift?   A watch? Crusted in diamonds, perhaps? To reflect the sparkle of her..._ lost in thought, he doesn’t even notice Ella’s approach until she ploughs into him.

He smiles down as he reaches to steady her, “Miss Lopez. Just the person!”

“Whoa, dude!” the Forensics tech cries out as she bounces off the club owner.  “Like, how did I not see you there? You’re big enough.” Dark eyes roll back and she huffs, “What’s up with my favorite method actor?”

Lucifer rights himself and adjusts his cuff. “Yes, well, I find I could use your assistance with....another role, of sorts, that I’ve taken on.”

Ella’s eyes widen and she nods. “Totally!  Are you still the Devil? Want me to help you with lines?”  She pauses then bounces on her toes, ponytail bobbing in her enthusiasm. “Can I be an angel?”

He puts his hands in front of him in a defensive position. “A moment, please, my dear.  And...that’s not how the whole ‘angel’ thing works.”

She pauses. “And still, you never break character!”

Lucifer huffs. “Just… it seems I need to provide the Detective with a...gift.  For Saint Valentine’s Day.”

“Ooooh, right!  ‘Cause you and Chloe,” she pauses and waves her hand at her friend, “are a thing.”  She beams up at him, “So! What are you thinking? Candy? Flowers? OH! Jewelry!”

Ella frowns and cocks her head. “Although, Decker really doesn’t seem like she’d be into all that.”

His eyebrows knit together in concern. “No?  Whyever not? They’re rather popular tokens of affection, yes?  Or...so I’m told, anyway. Not that I’ve ever...”

The young woman’s eyebrows shoot up almost to her hairline. “DUDE!  You’ve never given a lady a Valentine’s Day gift?”

Lucifer huffs and straightens his jacket. “Or a gentleman, for that matter.  Is that...a bad thing?”

Her eyes grow sad and, before he can stop it, Satan finds his arms full of an aggressively sympathetic young woman.  “Oh, man, that’s awful! And you’re such a sweetie-pants!”

“I’m a... _whot_?” he stammers.

She squeezes him. “I can’t believe you’ve never had a girlfriend for Valentine’s Day.  Man, that is _such_ a waste.”

“Well, I...” he tries to interject but she grabs his hand and hauls him to her lab.

She closes the door then plops herself onto a stool.  “So, how did you two meet?”

Lucifer blinks. “It was… on a case,” he begins slowly.  “An acquai… a friend was murdered and The Detective was investigating.”  He smiles softly, “She was… intriguing even then.”

Ella’s face drops as she takes his hand to give it a squeeze. “Oh, Luce, I’m so sorry about your friend!  What happened? I bet Chloe caught the perp, didn’t she?”

He nods, memory glazing his eyes for a moment. “Indeed.  Delilah...my friend...was...”

“Delilah?!” Ella asks in shock.  “THE Delilah? Oh my God! I remember that!  She was your friend?! That’s so cool!”

He huffs. “Yes, well, her former fiancé and manager didn’t think she was so ‘cool’.  He had her gunned down like a cur in the street.”  His face softens again, “But the Detective figured it out.  You should have seen her, striding into his studio.” Then his face darkens, “Then the bastard shot her.”

“Oh no!  I heard about that, too,” she replies.  “What did you do?”

Lucifer smirks. “I punished him, of course.”

Ella nods. “Riiiight.  Man, you are good.”

He arches a brow at her. “Of course I am.  But do you have any suggestions?”

“Right!” she exclaims.  “Valentine’s Day ideas.”  She taps her finger to her lip while she paces the length of her table.  Suddenly she snaps her fingers, “How about something that makes her remember how you met?  Like, maybe some music?”

Lucifer scoffs, “Sadly, the Detective’s taste in that area is...questionable.  Her playlist is the greatest hits from the 1990s.” He grimaces in distaste while shaking his head.  “Wretched.”

Ella laughs. “She can’t be perfect, right?”

“But she _is_ ,” he replies before thinking.

“Awwwwww.” Ella smiles at the blush creeping over his face.  “That is the...wait!” She snaps her fingers, “Delilah did a cover of Sheryl Crow in concert once!  You know, how Korn did Pink Floyd and it was totally amaze-balls, but this was different because, you know, girls covering girls, and...” she scowls at Lucifer’s snicker.  

“But you know what I mean.  Hang on.” She grabs her phone and taps for a minute.  After a moment, the sound of Delilah singing Sheryl Crow’s “All I Wanna Do” is coming through her earphones.

Lucifer bobs his head as he listens. “Definitely better than most of the things the Detective forces me to endure, I assure you.”  He points at the phone, “But what do I do with...this? It’s a recording. Certainly it’s too insignificant to be meaningful.”

Ella shakes her head. “No, you got it wrong.  So, bring me her phone. I’ll break into it and you can download the song.  Like, change her ringtone so it plays whenever you call or something so she knows it’s there.”  He frowns and she continues, “It tells her that you enjoy the memory of meeting her so much that you want her to remember it too.  It also tells her that you’ve paid attention to her musical taste.”

He grins. “Oh, she certainly knows I’ve done that.”

Ella cuffs him lightly on the shoulder.  “You know what I mean.”

He nods in agreement. “Okay, so, all I have to do is bring you the phone?”

The forensics tech smiles. “She’ll love it.”

* * *

Lucifer, having returned Chloe’s phone to her desk with nobody the wiser, watches with anticipation from the hallway. As Chloe approaches her desk, Lucifer taps his own phone, placing the call. Ella, all but vibrating with anticipation, clutches at his arm.

“Really, Miss Lopez,” Lucifer chides, but then Chloe answers the phone. “Ah, Detective!”

Sounding amused, Chloe replies, “Trixie must have gotten at my phone, though I swear it didn’t sound like this earlier.”

“Do you like it?” Lucifer queries, waving at Ella with his free hand in an attempt to silence her  small, excited sounds.

“Sorry,” Ella whispers. “It’s just that you guys are so cute! I’m so glad you’re finally together.”

“Well, of course,” Chloe says, her words overlapping Ella’s. “I mean, this was one of my favorite songs, but who’s singing it? That’s definitely not Sheryl Crow.”

When Ella finally releases his arm, Lucifer steps into the bullpen and grins at Chloe, ending the call and tucking away his phone. “Delilah.”

Her expression clearing, Chloe asks, “Did you put it on my phone? Don’t tell me you guessed my passcode.”

“Ah, no. I had a little assistance from Miss Lopez,” Lucifer admits, with a gesture to where the tech still waits in the hallway. “But I thought it would be a nice little gift for you, a remembrance of when we met.”

“That’s sweet,” Chloe approves, her expression softening. She waves to Ella, then adds, “I love it, but why did you do it?”

Lucifer perches lightly on the end of Chloe’s desk. “Oh, well, a certain holiday is approaching,” he says.

After a quick look at the calendar, Chloe says, “Valentine’s Day? It’s a little while off yet.”

“Yes,” Lucifer agrees. “That’s why I’m starting now. Don’t think that changing your ringtone is your only gift, Detective! Why, I’m just getting started.”

“Chloe,” Ella calls from the hallway. “Sorry, I’m sorry. It’s just, you said that you wanted those results as soon as I got them, and I just got the call.”

Chloe nods at Ella. “I did, thanks.” She rests a hand lightly on Lucifer’s arm. “I need to deal with this, but I’ll see you later, yeah? And this is sweet, but don’t feel like you need to make a big thing of it. I mean, it’s just a ‘Hallmark holiday’, right?”

Still, Lucifer notes her pleased look, and smiles. “I will make an appropriately-sized thing of it,” he assures her, though not without a smirk for his phrasing. After all, the ringtone was a nice start, but Lucifer knows he can do so much more.

As Chloe and Ella head back to the lab, the tech mouths an apology, but Lucifer is already distracted by Charlotte Richards’ approach.

“Hello, Charlotte,” he greets. He’s finally stopped trying to call her _Mum_ , though it does still feel odd to see her: the same and yet so very different.

“Lucifer,” Charlotte replies, with a smile. “How are you? You look like you’re having a good day.”

Getting up from the desk, Lucifer replies, “I am.” He eyes Charlotte and then observes, “You’re a woman.”

“I… yes?” Looking amused, Charlotte sayes, “Was there some doubt?”

“No, of course not,” Lucifer reassures. “But I just gave the Detective a Valentine’s Day gift and was trying to think of more.”

Charlotte grimaces. “Well, my own Valentine’s Day is probably going to be pretty grim,” she says, with a shrug. “But back when Elliot and I were together, when things were going well, we always liked to keep things simple on Valentine’s Day. We’d go out to dinner together, but we didn’t usually exchange gifts.”

“Dinner, though,” Lucifer approves. “That would be good. But how to make it meaningful?” Seeing Charlotte’s puzzled expression, he explains John Decker’s Valentine’s Day tradition, adding, “That really was quite helpful of Daniel.”

“Dan?” Charlotte echoes, and Lucifer catches that hint of wistfulness that crosses her face.

“He’s a good man,” he assures Charlotte, and she smiles.

“He is,” she agrees. “It was good talking to you, Lucifer. “Good luck with your Valentine’s gifts.”

Lucifer watches her leave, and thinks that perhaps he can give Daniel a bit of advice as well. An idea occurring to him, he takes out his phone once more. “Junior,” he greets, once the call goes through. “How’s business?”

* * *

“I don’t know, Linda,” Chloe murmurs into the phone at her desk.  “It’s just not going as well as I hoped it would. I mean… I’ve been trying so hard...”

“Sometimes the greatest gift we can give is ourselves,” the therapist cajoles from the other end of the phone line.  “And putting this effort into sharing something that obviously means a lot to Lucifer is going to mean a great deal to him.”

The detective huffs and looks around before dropping her voice even lower.  She called Lucifer in to join her on a stake-out and he should be arriving shortly.  “He’s _The Devil_ , Linda.  How can I… I mean… how can _this_ mean anything at all to him?”

Linda’s kind smile comes through in her voice. “When do you think was the last time someone put in this kind of effort for him?  I mean… you remember Christmas, right?”

A sad smile slides across Chloe’s face and she nods. “Yeah.  It was.....I had no idea it was that bad. It’s like it didn’t occur to him...” her voice cracks.

“That he would also receive gifts?” Linda prompts.

“Yeah,” Chloe responds.  “It broke my heart. I’m almost afraid of how he’ll react to this.  I’m....horrible,” she reports with her voice cracking. _Geri has the patience of a saint_ , she finishes to herself.   _That poor woman’s ears must be bleeding by the end of each lesson_.

Linda hums sympathetically on the other end, “I know it can be frightening and I seriously doubt you sound that bad.   And he’s so lucky to have someone who cares so deeply for him. I promise you he will love the fact that you’re taking piano lessons so you can play a song for him.”

The detective bites her lip as she sees Lucifer step toward the coffee machine. “Hey, I gotta go, but...thanks.  I’ll let you know.”

“Good luck, Chloe,” the therapist replies.  “Bye.”

“Yeah, okay, bye,” Chloe responds then quickly hangs up the phone as her partner advances.

Lucifer looks down and offers her a cup of coffee.  “Everything alright, Detective?” he asks softly.

She takes the coffee and sips before nodding nervously. “Thanks.  What? Yeah. Okay. Everything’s okay.”

He remains standing as his eyebrows knit together. “Are you quite certain?”

Chloe stands, grabs her bag and keys off her desk and starts to breeze past him before she stops to flash him a watery smile.  She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before she nods. “Yeah,” she answers breathlessly as she opens her eyes and looks up at him.  She gently touches his forearm and gives it a squeeze. “Everything’s fine. Let’s go.”

“Where?” Lucifer asks, his gaze sweeping the room before returning to Chloe. “I thought we could…” His voice trails off, and he adds as he cocks his head, “You said there was a stake-out??”

Shaking her head, Chloe replies, “Vice needs some help. It just came up, sorry.”

Lucifer swallows heavily then nods. “Very well, but I insist upon driving.”

She frowns. “We can’t take your car, Lucifer.  It’s way too conspicuous.”

He huffs. “Then I’ll drive that lack of personality you call a vehicle.”

A blonde eyebrow arches up. “Why do you want to drive?  In a rush to get to the stake-out?” she chuckles.

Lucifer shakes his head, “No, darling, but we need to make a stop along the way.”

Chloe cocks her head. “Where?”

He gives her a small smile. “I had plans for the evening… well, for _our_ … evening, really… but it seems that Vice put the kibosh on them by requiring we watch this miscreant commit his nefarious acts, so I’m ‘calling an audible’ as you humans say.”

“Plans?” she asks.

His smile grows cryptic. “You’ll see, darling.  And I’m fairly certain you’ll like it.”

They make their way to the car in relative silence. Lucifer starts up the car, then makes an abortive gesture toward the radio. He shoots a sidelong look at Chloe, whose focus is on the scenery beyond the window. With a small grimace, he guides the car to its destination, virtuously driving only ten miles above the speed limit.

Chloe finally looks over when he pulls the car into the parking lot. “What? Lucifer, this isn’t where we’re supposed to… Why are we stopping at… Sol de Javier?”

Lucifer smiles in response, opening the car door. “I did say we had to make a stop. All your questions will be answered momentarily. Just wait here, darling.” She does smile at the endearment, he notices, and he makes special effort to hurry.

Junior is there to meet him at the restaurant door, bag in hand. “Just like you asked for,” he says. “I wish you could have come in here. I had the chef’s table set up and everything, so Detective Decker could watch me cook and be _sure_ it wasn’t poisoned,” he finishes with a chuckle.

“Well, she’ll just have to trust me,” Lucifer replies, though his gaze flicks uneasily back to the car.

“Enjoy it, okay” Junior says. “And, hey, come back sometime, okay? Bring the whole family.”

“Family,” Lucifer echoes.  He looks away as he considers how much his definition of the word has certainly changed.  How Chloe, and even Beatrice, have come to feel more like family than his actual relatives.

Catching Junior's puzzled look, he summons a smile and says, “I’ll do that. Thanks.”

“Hey, anything for you, man,” Junior replies with a nod.

Lucifer lopes back to the car and tries not to chuckle at Chloe’s “detecting face.”

He is unsurprised when the questions begin as soon as he approaches the car.

“Is this from that Junior Arias?” she demands. “Chef Javier’s son?” And then Lucifer brings the bag into the car and Chloe inhales sharply. “What is that?”

Lucifer just smiles and offers her the bag. “Hold onto that until we get to the stakeout, would you? Ah-ah,” he chides as she begins to open the bag. “No sneaky peeking.”

“But I’m starving,” Chloe protests, as she runs one hand along the top of the bag.

“Dearie me, you’re worse than your offspring,” Lucifer teases. “Can’t you wait just a few more minutes?”

So Chloe does. They make their way to the back alley and put the car in park. Lucifer gestures, and Chloe opens the bag. “This smells _wonderful_. What is it?”

“That _was_ Junior, as a matter of fact,” he confirms.  “Although I suppose he’s _Chef_ Junior, now. This is his, what was it?  Vegetarian take on an Oaxacan molé, I believe he said.”

“With vegan crème fraîche,” Chloe finishes, sounding like she doesn’t quite believe it. “This is the same dish he made that night you had him cook dinner for the family, isn’t it? I can’t believe you remembered.” She looks up at him, adding, “I didn’t even get to taste it that night.”

He eyes her, brows lifted, and she regroups before turning to him with a brilliant smile, “Thank you. This is amazing!”  She somehow manages to keep an eye on their target as she dishes out the food.

“You’re welcome,” Lucifer replies as he takes his meal.  He tastes it, nodding his approval before asking, “You really like it?”  He tries to keep the uncertainty from his tone, but perhaps he doesn’t quite manage.

Chloe has to stop eating to reply, “Of course!”

Lucifer exhales. “Marvelous!” He turns his attention to his own food, though more for the novelty of the taste than out of any real hunger. “So, remind me why are we here again?” he asks as he digs around for a chunk of avocado.

“Helping out Vice,” Chloe responds around another mouthful of food. “I know I should savor this, but I just can’t stop myself.”

Lucifer purses his lips, but doesn’t make the innuendo-laden comment that springs to mind, instead saying, “Junior said we should actually come into the restaurant next time.” Chloe nods her approval, and Lucifer queries, puzzled, “So, why are we helping Vice?”

“Oh, Jerome asked me for a favor,” Chloe replies absently.

Lucifer pauses. “Jerome. Riiiight. Is he ever known as Jerry, by any chance?”

Chloe chokes on her food, then reaches for a bottle of water, waving away Lucifer’s concern. “Fine. I’m fine. Uh, no. People only ever call him Jerome.”

Lucifer shakes his head. Maybe she’d been on the phone with this Jerry, then, talking about whatever it was that had upset her. And she _had_ been upset, that much was obvious. He casts a look at Chloe, who is perhaps a little too absorbed in her food, and says, his voice tentative, “Only Beatrice mentioned something about Jerry?”

“Trixie,” Chloe breathes. It’s just the one word, but her frustration is clear. Lucifer’s heart sinks as she looks away and continues, “Look, we really need to focus right now, okay? We don’t want to miss this guy.”

“Right,” Lucifer agrees softly, though he isn’t seeing the view beyond the windshield. He’ll just try harder. Maybe, he thinks, if he can just find the perfect gift, Chloe will realize what she means to him.

* * *

“You do know you can drive a little faster than the speed limit, right?” Chloe says, and Lucifer can’t help but grin.

“A little impatient, darling?” Still, he accelerates a little more. He doesn’t want to tease _too_ much. After all, he knows what’s about to happen, even if she doesn’t.

Chloe leans back in her seat with a huff. “Sorry. But you’ve heard Trixie complain about how much she hates her new after-school program, right? I’m working on something else for her, but I wish… I just wish Dan could have picked her up on time today,” she finishes, tapping at the center console in her frustration.

Lucifer feels a twinge of remorse for throwing Daniel under the figurative bus, but the man had agreed to help, knowing that the payoff from the club-owner’s plan would be worth it. “Boring and stupid, I believe she said it was?” Lucifer said, enjoying the way Chloe turns to stare at him.

“ _You_ listened? To Trixie?”

Lucifer shrugs, “Well, she _was_ rather vociferous about the whole thing. It’s not like I could help but hear.” Still, he can’t stop the smile spreading across his face as he remembers the expression on the child’s face when he explained his plan.

“Wow. That’s… that’s great, Lucifer.” Despite her answering smile, Chloe turns to look behind them, protesting, “But you just missed the turn.”

“Did I, now?” Lucifer asks, and Chloe shifts to look at him, her eyes narrowed. She likely recognizes that too-innocent tone by now.

He flashes a grin, “Let’s just take a little detour, shall we?” As Chloe frowns, he adds, “Your offspring can manage for a few more minutes.”

He stops the car and gets out, circling around to open Chloe’s door when she remains in the car. “Chop chop,” he urges as he gestures toward the yellow brick building with the large, red _Dojorama_ sign. “You do want to get to young Beatrice, yes?” And he leads the way into the martial arts school, chuckling. “Chop chop - you saw what I did there?”

“Trixie's in there? Lucifer, what _did_ you do?” Chloe asks, looking torn between irritation and surprise. “Did the after-school program just let you take my kid?” Still, a smile warms her face as she turns to watch Trixie, who is lined up with several other similarly-aged children in blue t-shirts and white pants.

“Of course not,” Lucifer replies, with a soft huff. “They _are_ a reputable organization, even if Beatrice doesn’t like them. Daniel and I retrieved her, and then he signed the documents to give permission for her to be here. _This_ place is reputable as well, by the way,” he adds, his voice serious. “Family-owned business, been here for twenty years. Maze knows the owner, and she says they’re good teachers.”  He looks down to focus as he adjusts his cuff. “I would allow nothing but the best for your spawn.”

Chloe regards him with a small smile. “You got _Dan_ to help you with this?” she asks, her voice soft.

With a small shrug, Lucifer replies, “Well, we were watching Body Bags 3 on Saturday, since you were unavailable...” He looks away to cover his lingering disappointment at her change of plans. “We began talking about how Beatrice should have some sort of martial arts training. She’s spoken of it to Maze, and it’s a good set of skills to have, especially considering all the wretched cretins she certainly must encounter every day whilst in pursuit of her education.”  He pauses at Chloe’s look. “But the school knows it’s just a trial,” he adds quickly. “If you don’t like it, or Beatrice, there’s no obligation.” He had also put a bug in Daniel's ear regarding Charlotte's lack of a Valentine's Day date, and the two of them had formulated a plan that involved Daniel, Charlotte, and reservations for a fancy restaurant.

Chloe looks away at the mention of her unavailability, and Lucifer tries not to frown at the evasion. She  watches Trixie for a moment, her expression softening at the child’s obvious enthusiasm for the kicking drill the class is undertaking, then turns back to Lucifer. “This is…thank you, Lucifer. You knew that she was unhappy, and you fixed it.” She leans close, slipping an arm around him, and he feels a little of his tension ease.

“There’s a partnership with Beatrice’s school,” Lucifer adds, wanting to make sure she has all the details. “A van takes the children from school to here, and they work on homework before the kicking and punching begins.”

Chloe stretches to kiss his cheek, and then nestles against him to watch Trixie. “That’s perfect. And it’s obvious that she loves it.” She straightens as Trixie is called to the front of the class. “What’s going on?”

Chuckling quietly, Lucifer replies, “Your guess is as good as mine, darling. Children’s martial arts classes are not exactly my area of expertise.”

“All right,” the lanky instructor announces. “This is Trixie’s first day, and she’s done a great job, right, everybody? Let’s give her a hand.” The class and parents applaud, and the instructor continues, to Trixie, “What do you think about trying to break a board with that stomp kick you were just doing?” Her eyes wide, Trixie nods, and the instructor signals to one of his co-workers, who brings a board from another section of the room.

Chloe leans against Lucifer as they watch the instructor talk Trixie through the process of breaking the board. When the girl succeeds in her first attempt, Chloe sits up and cheers, eliciting a quick glance and a brilliant smile from her daughter.

“Did you see?” Chloe asks Lucifer, laughing. “She just broke a whole board with her foot! That’s incredible!”

Lucifer eases an arm around Chloe. “So I assume that you want her to continue here?”

Nodding, Chloe replies, “Of course. She looks like she loves it, and it sounds great. I’d been meaning to do something like this for a while, but I never got around to it.” As the class starts to wrap up, she looks up at Lucifer, smiling. “That was really thoughtful of you.”

“Well.” Lucifer, of course not objecting to her closeness, explains, “It’s just that watching the Body Bags movie reminded me of that case we had, with Wesley Cabot. And I thought,” he adds, a note of teasing to his voice, “Why should you get all of the Valentine’s Day gifts? Your offspring has stopped being quite so grabby around me, after all. She deserves a reward.” He turns to consider Trixie as Chloe watches, adding thoughtfully, “I did try to get her the black pants instead of the white ones; they’re far more flattering, but apparently only for the more advanced students.”

Chloe, looking amused, shakes her head. “The white pants are fine, Lucifer. But thank you. Really.”

Lucifer leans down to brush his lips against Chloe’s temple. “You are most welcome, Detective.”

After the karate class, Lucifer treats Chloe and Trixie to Tacos (it _is_ Tuesday, after all) and ice cream.  Finally, after a long day, the nine-year-old falls asleep in the back seat of the car and Lucifer carries her into the apartment.

Chloe wraps her arms around him after she returns from tucking her daughter in. “Thank you for a wonderful day, Lucifer.”

He smiles as he hugs her closer. “It was my pleasure, Detective.  Perhaps you and the spawn would be interested in another outing this Saturday?”

The detective draws back so she can look up at him, disappointment written on her face. “Oh, I can’t.”

He frowns, “You can’t?  Whyever not?”

She grins. “The Tribe is coming over.  Trixie’s going to be with Dan for the weekend, so I thought it would be a good time, ya know?”

Lucifer nods then swallows his disappointment, relieved that at least she’ll be spending time with mutual friends.  None of which are named Jerome. “Very well, my dear. Another time, perhaps?”

Chloe pulls him down for a lingering kiss. “You’ve got a deal.”

* * *

Thursday afternoon, Lucifer steps up to place his order at the food truck and Chloe looks down at her ringing phone.  She touches him on the arm, “I need to take this,” she explains before walking away.

“Hey, Geri, thanks for calling me back,” she answers quietly.  “A group of us girls are getting together Saturday night and I thought you might like to come over.  Maybe we could… you know… provide some entertainment?”

Lucifer’s preternatural hearing allows him to hear everything and his heart drops, _Bloody Hell_ , he thinks to himself.   _Bad enough she’s taking time away from me to be with this Jerry fellow, now he’s being invited to… to… in front of their friends_ ?  He feels his cheeks flush in humiliation.   _This won’t do at all_ , he grumbles silently as he pays for their lunch and brings it to a nearby picnic table.

“Great!  I’m pretty nervous but you’ve taught me so much.  I just wanted to do it in front of a friendly audience before...right.  No, he still has no idea. Thanks again.” She ends the call and walks over.  She’s blushing and her eyes sparkle as she looks at her partner. Her expression falters when she sees his face. “What’s wrong?” she asks.  “They put mayo on your burger again?”

He shakes his head, opting to not answer in favor of chewing slowly.  He finally swallows heavily and nods in her direction. “Everything alright?” he asks casually.

Chloe flashes a shy smile. “Yeah.  It’s great. Just making plans for Tribe night.  I mean, it’s never going to be as crazy as the first one when we destroyed that tiki bar.”  She grins. “At least I hope not.”

Lucifer nods. “I remember that case.  Nearly lost my favorite Italian loafers when that Yuri chap was poisoned.”

She chuckles. “You have to admit that was pretty funny.”

Dark brows furrow. “It most certainly was not, Detective.  I brought in a cobbler from Ferragamo’s own workshop to make those shoes.”

The detective’s laugh subsides into a warm smile and she bumps his shoulder. “I never did thank you for sending me out on Ladies’ Night.  If you hadn’t, I wouldn’t be as close to Maze, Linda, and Ella. Maze wouldn’t be my roommate… wait, never mind,” she finishes with a wink.

Lucifer feels his chest grow tight, just as it always does when she thanks him for something. “Don’t mention it, Detective.  Truly. I lived with her long enough to understand.” _This woman drives me mad,_ he thinks to himself.   _One moment she’s scheduling a command performance for skills this “Jerry” has taught her and the next, she’s looking at me like that.  Bollocks._

* * *

Lucifer raps on the door to Chloe and Maze’s apartment, a package held lightly in one hand. He hadn’t counted on the presence of this Jerry fellow when he purchased this particular gift, but he is early enough that he shouldn’t encounter the man, and he _does_ want to give his beloved her present.

“Lucifer, hi,” Chloe says, sounding a little flustered when she sees him on her doorstep. “The Tribe’s getting together tonight. Did you forget?”

“Not at all,” Lucifer replies, with an easy smile that belies the hurt that still twists his insides into knots. “No worries, my darling; I’m not staying long.”

Opening the door wider, Chloe smiles. “Okay, come on in, then. Sorry.”

“You look lovely,” Lucifer offers, hovering near the door.

Chloe shoots him a skeptical look, with a gesture toward her messy ponytail and casual attire. “I look like I always do.”

Lucifer can’t help but smile. “As I said: lovely.” Chloe’s lips curve in response, and Lucifer asks, unable to help himself, “Anything special planned for tonight?”

Chloe shakes her head, with a quick smile. “We’re staying in. Ella’s bringing some molecular something. Alcoholic, of course,” she adds, with a wink.

“Molecular mixology,” Lucifer approves. “I’ve tried some of that. Carbonated mojito spheres seem like they’d appeal to the group. Well, then, my gift might come in handy.” He offers the package, explaining, “I thought of it, when you mentioned the Tribe getting together.”

“I was wondering when you would get to that present,” Chloe teases. “Lucifer, really, you don’t have to keep doing this.”

With a small shrug, Lucifer replies, “It’s not out of obligation, darling. I _want_ to.”

“Well, thanks,” Chloe says. She opens the present, revealing a set of four ceramic tiki mugs and a small box paper umbrellas, and laughs. “Oh, like the tiki bar,” she approves. “This is great, Lucifer. Thank you!” She leans close to kiss his cheek, but he can see her faint frown as she considers the glasses.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” She smiles, but her response is too quick.

Lucifer, following her gaze, counts the glasses and realizes that there are only four of them. The Tribe is four, but with this Jerry interloping that will make five. Lucifer certainly doesn’t mind being one short, not if it means that Jerry won’t be drinking from one of his gifts. Of course, knowing his Chloe, she’ll give up her own in favor of a guest. He feels his jaw clench and tries to relax, but only finds himself getting more tense. “I should go,” he says, hearing the shortness to his voice and hating it. “Your guests will be arriving soon.”

He flees, for it really can’t be called anything but that, and Chloe looks after him in concern.

* * *

From her spot on the couch, Maze queries, “What crawled up _his_ ass and died?”

Chloe manages a grimace for Maze’s phrasing despite her worry. “I don’t know.”

With a stretch that seems to imply more joints than perhaps a human should have, Maze says, “Don’t worry. I’ll talk to him.”

Chloe assumes that her roommate intends to be reassuring, but somehow Maze’s words only heighten her concern.

* * *

When Lucifer arrives home on Valentine’s Day, he isn’t surprised to find Maze lounging on his couch, drink in hand.

“Maze,” he greets her, distracted as he tries to find the right spot for the large floral arrangement he carries. It’s probably too much, he knows, but the arrangement has forget-me-nots just the color of Chloe’s eyes, and he was unable to resist.

He settles the vase on the bar and looks over to see the demon watching him with undisguised amusement. “Wow” she marvels. “You’re really whipped, aren’t you?”

“No,” Lucifer replies, his voice stiff. He doesn’t bother telling Maze that the flowers aren’t even the _real_ gift. No need to give her further opportunities for taunting.

“Aw, relax,” Maze relents, even pouring him a drink. “Here. I’m just kidding. You guys are…” She makes a face, probably considering just the right word, then decides, “Cute.”

Lucifer smirks and nods his thanks as he takes the drink,  “The Lord of Hell is not _cute._ ”

Maze shrugs. “Chloe thinks you’re cute.”

“She thinks I’m far more than _cute_ ,” Lucifer replies, though his voice holds no small amount of smugness. He flicks a glance at Maze, then, asking, “Did she _say_ that I’m cute?”

Maze makes a sound that mingles disgust and amusement, but ignores the question, instead asking, “What got your panties in a bunch when you came by last night?”

With an exasperated huff, Lucifer replies, “There were no panties and certainly no bunching. I merely dropped off a gift for the Detective.”

“Yeah, the cups,” Maze agrees. “And then you took off like somebody stole your toy and you were running home to tell.”

“Drop it, Maze,” Lucifer says, a hint of steel to his voice that, for once, his demon obeys. He swirls his glass, considering its contents, then asks, “How did last night go?”

Maze shrugs, going with the conversational switch easily enough. “It was fine. Ellen made girly drinks; I had Scotch instead.”

“Who?” Lucifer queries.

Maze makes an impatient gesture. “Tiny. Dark hair. And I want to know what drugs she’s on to be that perky.”

Lucifer’s expression clears. “Ah, Miss Lopez.” He eyes his demon, wondering if she is deliberately misunderstanding his question about the previous night. Seeing the glint of amusement in her eyes, he suspects that perhaps she is having fun at his expense. “Mazikeen,” he warns. She grins outright, and he asks, “Did anything _unusual_ happen?”

Lifting her eyes skywards, Maze says, “Same old shit, Lucifer. Just ask what you really want to know.”

Lucifer leans forward, his gaze intent. “I know that Chloe’s... friend Jerry was there. I can’t believe she’d parade him in front of you all!”

Maze’s eyes widen fractionally, and she purses her lips tightly for a moment, perhaps biting back a comment. “Jerry,” she echoes.  Her voice holds an oddly strained note, as if she's trying not to laugh. “How did you know that… Jerry… would be there?”

“So he was!” Lucifer bounds to his feet, his movements restless. “I overheard her inviting the rogue.” Rounding on Maze, he demands, “She said something about them _performing_ together. Did they?”

Maze’s eyes glint. “Oh, yeah. And it was _amazing_. I can’t believe Jerry taught Chloe so much so quickly. I mean, the things she can do with her fingers now. I was in awe.” Maze exhales a long breath, as if cooling herself down.

Lucifer sits with a thump, nearly missing the couch. “He what?” he echoes. He can only imagine how his face looks; he sees some of the hurt reflected in Maze’s vaguely uneasy expression.

“Okay, look,” Maze says, suddenly serious. “You love Chloe, right?”

“Of course,” Lucifer replies. He doesn’t pause for reflection, for he needs none.

Maze nods, looking unsurprised. “Do you trust her?”  

Lucifer echoes the nod, though somewhat more slowly. “I do,” he agrees. “But she's been acting so oddly lately, like she'd rather…” _Be with Jerry._ But he doesn't voice his fear, not even to Maze.

“Humans,” Maze says, as if that encompasses an answer. “Look, you love her, and you trust her, so relax. All the weird shit she’s been doing lately is for a reason.”

“What reason?” Lucifer demands, but Maze is already shaking her head.

“Oh, no. I’m not ruining this. I have to live with her.” Maze gets to her feet, advising, “Just… don’t go anywhere tonight, okay? And don’t have a wild sex party up here.”

“Well, not without the Detective,” Lucifer quips, though he can hear how the joke falls flat.

Maze rolls her eyes as she turns to leave. “Just call her Chloe, Lucifer.”

“Chloe,” Lucifer murmurs, as the doors to the lift close behind the demon.

He can do this.

He just wishes that he understood why Chloe has been behaving so oddly. For all that Maze says that there is a good reason, he _knows_ Chloe, and she hasn’t been acting like herself. This Jerry has been taking up so much of her time, and making her cancel plans with him, despite all the gifts that Lucifer keeps giving her. But he knows that Chloe would tell him if she had stopped loving him.

_Wouldn’t she?_

* * *

Chloe releases a long, slow exhalation while she sits in the front seat of her cruiser.   _I can do this, I can do this_ , she chants quietly to herself.  Her eyes are closed, but she doesn’t need to see to know her hands are shaking.  The text from Maze didn’t help, “He’s home and I told him to stay there. Go blow his mind.”

She huffs in frustration at her nervousness.   _It’s just Lucifer_ , she reminds herself.   _Who probably taught Beethoven_ , her traitorous brain replies.  Chloe growls as she grabs the door handle, takes a deep breath and shoves it open.   _That piano isn’t going to play itself_ , she thinks to herself as she heads for the elevator.  She enters her personal code into the keypad then presses the button for his apartment.

Her arrival is announced by a familiar ding and she squares her shoulders in an attempt to hide her nervousness.  

Lucifer looks up from his seat at the piano.  An empty bottle of Glenlivet sits next to a beautiful bouquet of wildflowers, including some of the bluest forget-me-nots and largest sunflowers she’s ever seen in an arrangement.  She gives him a shy smile as she tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. He’s still never told her how he figured out sunflowers are her favorite.

Chloe walks forward, stubbornly willing her knees not to shake.  “Happy Valentine’s Day,” she says softly.

He doesn’t answer at first, choosing instead to fix her with a soft, chocolate stare.  

Chloe swallows heavily and looks down for a moment.

“Is it?” he asks quietly.  “I’ve never seen you so nervous walking in here, Detective.  D’you have something you need to tell me?”

She blushes and shrugs. “No,” she answers, then rushes to continue upon seeing his stricken expression.  “I have something to… show you. I guess.”

Lucifer scowls and gestures at her. “Well, get on with it, then.”

Chloe nods and takes a small step forward, “I… um.... can I get a drink?” she asks shakily.

He stands with a huff, “Oh, certainly.  Whyever not?” he growls as he walks to the bar.   _My soon-to-be-ex-love-of-my-life wants a drink._  “I believe I’ll have a double,” he adds as he pours for both of them.

While he is busy at the bar, the detective slides onto the piano bench and focuses on the keys, thinking about hand placement.  She moves her feet so she doesn’t accidentally engage the pedals, The basics were hard enough to learn. She’s focusing enough that she doesn’t notice him approach and slide her glass in front of her.

“Alright,” he catches her attention, “you have your drink.  What is it you wish to… show me? Naughty photos? Perhaps this ‘Jerry’ fellow who’s been taking up so much of your time has given you a pretty bauble and you’ve decided The Devil isn’t boyfriend material after all?”

Chloe’s gaze snaps up to his, _How does he...?_  She tosses back half of her drink and swallows heavily before continuing.  “You know about Geri?”

His expression falls when she doesn’t deny his accusation, apprehension written all over his face.  “I do, my dear. For being a detective you are remarkably bad at subterfuge. Your secret is out. So, if you’ve come to break it off...” He’s cut off by her chuckle.  “There is nothing amusing here, Detective.” He pauses and looks down at his drink, “I… I didn’t believe you were capable of such cruelty.”

Chloe raises her drink to her lips and surprises herself by downing it in one go.  “Geri, Lucifer. As in Geraldine. Geri is a _woman_.”

An ugly smirk crosses his face. “Well why didn’t you say you played both sides of the field, Detective?  Feel free to invite Geraldine over. We’ll make it a threesome.”

She shakes her head, uncertain whether to laugh or to cry.  “Lucifer, she’s been giving me lessons.”

“Oh, I’m sure,” he snarks before taking a pull from his drink.

Chloe scowls at him. “You know what?  Just shut the Hell up and let me do this, okay?  You’re being an asshole.” She looks down and places her hands on the keys, taking a deep breath.

“Oh, _I’m_ being an...”

Lucifer is cut off again, but this time, it’s by music.  He cocks his head as Chloe slowly presses the keys. F...C...F...G....

He blinks as she continues and by the second B-flat he recognizes the song as “Can’t Help Falling in Love With You” from Elvis Presley.  His eyes are wider and a blush is shading his cheeks. “Oh. I know this song,” he says quietly as he puts his drink down. Lucifer moves to stand to her left and points to the bench, “May I?” he asks politely.

Chloe stops and looks at him, there’s a soft smile on her face and tears glazing her bright blue eyes.  A tear sneaks out as she nods.

Lucifer sits down, and reaches up to gently stroke the tear from her cheek. “I’m sorry, darling.”

She sniffles and bumps his shoulder. “You should be.”  He looks down as she continues, “But you’re right. I suck at keeping secrets.  I just wanted to surprise you.”

He flashes a rueful grin. “You certainly did that, my dear.”  He leans forward and whispers a kiss on her forehead. His hands move to join hers on the keys, “There is a left-hand part to this song.  Would you like to...”

Chloe cuts him off again, with a nod this time.  “I would,” she smiles happily.

They play to the extent of her ability several times through, leaning closer to each other as they sit on the bench.  After the fourth time, he leans over and gives her another kiss. “I have an actual gift to give you for today,” he smiles.

She laughs. “You’ve already given me… us!... so much.”

He looks down and she’s charmed by the dark blush that colors his face.   After a moment, he raises his hand to her face, his fingers splaying from her jaw to her brow.  Earnest, dark eyes capture hers. “There is nothing I can ever give...or do for you that can compare to what you’ve given me, Chloe.”  The pressure of the fingers touching her face increases a little bit, “Nothing,” he says again with quiet emphasis.

Lucifer reaches into the breast pocket and withdraws a small velvet pouch.  He empties the contents into his hand and holds up what seems to be onyx and platinum earrings, with the stone roughly the size of a dime.  As she looks at it, though, she realizes there is a depth or texture to the stone that she is certain she’s never seen before. “They’re beautiful, Lucifer,” she breathes as he hands it to her and the deep black sparkles even in the waning light of his flat.  “What are they?”

He gives her a cheeky grin. “Stardust, darling.”

She blinks as she look at him. “Stardust?  Where did you...?”

He raises his eyebrows and just looks at her while she blushes.  “I mean, I know _where_ … I mean… how?”

He grins but still doesn’t say anything.  “Fine,” she laughs. “I know ‘how,’ too.”

Lucifer smiles as he reaches for the earring in her hand, “May I?” he asks for the second time of the evening.  She nods and he takes it from her. She shivers as his fingers delicately hang it from her ear then trace down her neck before repeating the motion on the other side.  “Beautiful,” he murmurs. “And the earrings are nice as well.”

Chloe’s blush deepens as she leans close, “Happy Valentine’s Day, Lucifer,” she whispers against his lips.  

He smiles, “And to you, Chloe,” he responds as he closes the distance between them.


End file.
